For immediate release
31st May 2006

OVER 10 MILLION BRITS HAVE TRAVEL RUINED BY HOLIDAY TUMMY

- Survey reveals scale of digestive health problems abroad as pioneering gut health diet launches -

New research* reveals that over 10 million Brits have had holidays abroad ruined due to digestive problems. The results are revealed as Yakult and a team of independent experts launch ‘The Inside Out Diet’, a diet and lifestyle plan including top tips on how to prepare the digestive system for travel.

Of the almost one in five Brits who have suffered from a digestive problem on holiday, nearly two thirds have had either diarrhoea or constipation and a despairing 23% succumb to a digestive problem every time they travel (increasing to 31% for women).

The most common problem is diarrhoea which is experienced by 59% of those who have suffered from ‘holiday tummy’. The next most common problem is stomach ache, suffered by 17%, followed by constipation, suffered by 12% and bloating (almost one in 10).

But it’s not just the physical problem that blights the holiday – the emotional distress caused by ‘holiday tummy’ can completely ruin the part of the year that people look forward to the most. Having to stay near a toilet spoils the holiday for almost half of sufferers, 16% have felt embarrassed about the problem in front of their travelling companions and 30% of women (and one in five men) have felt so bloated they’ve not been able to wear fitted outfits or swimwear. A distressed 6% have even cut short their trip and come home early due to their digestive health problem.

So what can be done to help to combat digestive problems abroad? Of course, medicines are available to help remedy bouts of diarrhoea or constipation once abroad – but prevention is better than cure. ‘The Inside Out Diet’ has been developed by probiotic drink pioneers Yakult, in association with a panel of experts including Dr Anthony Leeds, Fiona Hunter and Nicki Waterman. It is focused on digestive health and offers comprehensive diet and lifestyle advice aimed at getting your gut in shape (inside and out!) before you travel.

Co-author of ‘The Inside Out Diet’ and digestive health expert, Dr Anthony Leeds, says: “Going on holiday can play havoc with your digestive system. From long periods of inactivity on the plane or by the pool, to air cabin pressure, dehydration, and different eating habits, many factors can contribute to holiday bloating, constipation or diarrhoea.

“Although there are obvious precautions you can take once you’re abroad such as avoiding the local drinking water, hot food that is not thoroughly cooked and unpeeled fruit and vegetables, many people don’t realise that you can actually take action to help protect your gut before you travel. By preparing your digestive system in the weeks before your holiday, you can minimise the chances of falling ill once you’re there. There’s a lot of truth in that old adage, ‘prevention is better than cure’”

The Inside Out Diet’ includes the following tips to get your gut fit for travel:

• A healthy everyday routine should ideally incorporate a quality probiotic such as Yakult, in order to help maintain a good balance of gut bacteria. However, before travelling this becomes even more crucial, so start taking a daily probiotic two weeks before your trip. This will help to increase the good bacteria in your gut, shoring up your defences against the bad bacteria which may invade your body once you’re abroad
• To make sure your diet is helping good bacteria to breed and protect your gut, ensure that you include plenty of ‘prebiotic’ foods in your meals. Foods such as onions, garlic, asparagus and artichokes help stimulate the growth of good bacteria in the gut. ‘The Inside Out Diet’ includes plenty of delicious, original recipes containing prebiotics.
• Dehydration is a major cause of gut problems abroad so take bottles of water on the plane and down to the pool or beach. It’s also vital to drink lots of water in the days leading up to your trip, particularly if you are flying
• Although prevention is infinitely better than cure, it’s best to be prepared for any eventuality, so pack a good diarrhoea and/or constipation remedy – it will be easier than trying to find something in a foreign country when you’re feeling unwell
• It’s easy not to eat enough fibre on holiday and this can soon impact on your digestion - pack some high-fibre cereal to have for breakfast or as a snack
• Long periods sitting whilst travelling can make your digestive system sluggish. Move around regularly – walk around if you’re on a plane and take regular swims if you are relaxing by the pool
• Digestion problems abroad can be caused by less obvious factors such as a change in routine and being unfamiliar with your surroundings. Try some gentle exercises specifically designed for digestion in the run up to and during your holiday to help keep your gut functioning smoothly. Ideas can be found in the lifestyle section of ‘The Inside Out Diet’.

Dr Anthony Leeds concludes: “With increasing numbers of us suffering from digestive health problems, we believe a diet and lifestyle plan that is designed to maintain optimum health in this area will benefit many thousands of people. And because the gut plays a pivotal role in our overall health, by following ’The Inside Out Diet’ you can also be confident that you’re looking after the rest of your body, too.”

- Ends -

Notes to editors

*Survey of 1,005 adults by ICM Research
ICM interviewed a random sample of 1005 adults aged 18+ by telephone across the country between 12th to 14th May 2006. ICM is a member of the British Polling Council and abides by its rules. Further information at www.icmresearch.co.uk.